In the USA an aircraft may be eligible for FAA registration if it is not registered in another country.
To qualify for registration, the aircraft owner must be:
An individual who is a US citizen.
A partnership where each partner is a US citizen.
A corporation or association organized under US or State laws of which the president and at least two thirds of the board of directors and other managing officers are US citizens and at least 75% of the voting interest is owned or controlled by US citizens.
An individual citizen of a foreign country lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the US.
A US government unit or subdivision.
A non-US citizen corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the US or one of the States as long as the aircraft is based and primarily used in the US. Sixty percent of all flight hours must be from flights starting and ending within the United States.
Foreign nationals and others who are not eligible for aircraft ownership under the FAA requirements may still be interested in registering their aircraft. Establishing a trust is the best way to maintain FAA registration in the United States. An aircraft trust is set up to give the airplane ownership to a trustee who meets the FAA registration requirements on behalf of the true owner. In the trust, the true owner is known as the trustor or trust beneficiary. The title and registration are held in the trustee's name. The FAA has access to aircraft trust filing paperwork, giving them the identity of the beneficiary.
Aircraft trust companies: